Aquasphere Long Swim BournemouthPosted by jibby26 on August 18th, 2009

Whilst not a tri, I thought I’d pen a report on the Aquasphere 3.8km long swim in Bournemouth…

As I walked down the path from the car park I got a lovely view of the course, doesn’t look too far from up there, around four buoys (3 times according to the board at registration). The surf report was accurate and there was absolutely no swell. Perfect I thought, my target of 1:25 should be doable, how wrong I was to be. This was to be my first OW swim event, and the first time swimming 3.8km.

After a final trip to the facilities I got my wetsuit on 30mins before the start to get in the water and acclimatise, the surf report was accurate again about the 16°C water temperature, but that was why I was getting in early after all. Did a few strokes, got some water inside the suit then headed off to the race brief. Run into water, turn right at buoys, go round 3 times, finish under gantry. Simple.

The klaxon going caught me by surprise, as it did a few others as there was no countdown, but I got a good start on the outside of the pack near the front. My first problem, about 100m off the shore, was what appeared to be a bloom of jellyfish. A slight moment of panic remembering the stings I got practising on holiday a few weeks ago, but they weren’t stinging me (probably weren’t even jellyfish). A few sights and I seemed to be on course for the first turning mark. Then the current hit and I started going sideways, reaching the mark after about 8mins. OK I can deal with this, push on I told myself. About a minute later I’m staring at a surfboard, 90° off track. Remember to sight you idiot. I was now in the full force of the current and progress was slow, I round the next mark (half a lap) on 19mins, far slower than I wanted but the angle on the anchor line told the sailor in me a good current was running (a look at my tidal manual tells me it was 1.5 km/h in the main bay).

Swimming in to shore now, picking a couple of marks on the cliff to make sighting a bit easier. Suit was feeling a little tight now, time to put my rookie training to good use and get a bit of water in the suit to ease it off. Ahh the cold water feels good.  The current seemed a lot stronger inshore and I was swimming west again to make it around the buoy and my goggles were filling up, breathing with my eyes closed. I told myself I could empty them once around the buoy, when the current was with me. Almost a 180° turn at the buoy, quick empty of goggles and off again, nice easy leg this one. Turn for start of second lap, check of watch, 29mins, wow, twice as fast on this half.

The second lap was much of the same, the 45° swim to get where your going in a straight line, the disheartening long swim into the current, goggles filling with water twice again, splits almost the same, 49mins to half lap, 59mins to end of lap.

On to the third lap, the first leg was going OK, then I got caught be the current near the buoy. It took what felt like an age to get around it. 1hr 08, OK I’m slowing. Then the real slog, this time the westward leg into the current took over 20mins, getting there on 1hr 30. After a stern talking to I bucked my ideas up and pushed on, harder now. A nice fast swim inshore, getting the line perfect. Along the shore the end pushing hard. Round the little buoy to the shore. Pulled up alongside a guy swimming without a wetsuit, crazy. Into the shallows and time to stand up. I think I can walk in a straighter line whilst drunk than my attempt to get over the finish line in a grand time of 1:41:09 putting me 114 out of 143 starters.